abxylute C8: Game Tested Review

Full disclosure, after looking at the C6 controller from abxylute I had some reservations about the C8. The C6 was close but didn’t feel great in adult hands and lacked features. abxylute did however nail the S9 telescopic controller so really they were 50/50 on controllers of theirs I have reviewed.

The C8 is nothing like their previous controllers. Inlaid with lots of RGB (including the abxyLUTE logo), more connection options, removable faceplate, additional ’M’ buttons and a more professional finish amongst other things. It’s not all rainbows and butterflies but abxyLUTE has stepped into a very competitive market with a real competitor this time around.

The buttons are bigger, bolder and clearer. The C6 actually had solid black buttons so having the C8 buttons have a clear finish is kind of a layup. The face buttons are however bigger and much quieter on the C8. They also recover faster giving you the ability to get more presses in without using the Turbo function. The other buttons including start and select appear to have a tighter switch under them causing those buttons to be louder and more defined when pressed. 

The DPad is bigger and sticks up further on the C8  controller. This is great in some games and a detriment in others.With the C6 there wasn’t a definitive central pivot on the DPad and it sits flatter to the controller body. Luckily the C8 DPad is much smoother and has a more rounded form to help with fatigue when playing fighting games. Neither overly excel at fighting games but the C8 is the overall winner in DPad performance. 

*1000Hz Return Rate

*Wired, Wireless and BT 5.3

*4 Vibration Levels

*6 Axis Gyro 

*RGB Lighting

*Programable Keys

*Hall Effect Cir/Squ Joysticks/Linear Triggers 

*Joysticks Adjustable 

*3 Adjustable Turbos

*Charging Dock – Type-C

*Programable ML and MR Buttons

Unlike the C6 the New C8 controller has removable stick tops. With the addition of metal stick posts, multiple stick heights and slip rings around the perimeter of the sticks housing playing with them is a very pleasant experience. The multiple stick heights allows you to change out sticks for your play style or for racing vs FPS games. They used similar sticks on the S9, definitely a feature borrowed from their competitors and I’m here for it.

There is also the addition of ML and MR buttons located on the bottom of the controller. Engineering also added cutouts for these buttons on the charging dock because instead of being on the back along the handgrips like most controllers they are located on the bottom middle of the face below the DPad and Right Joystick. I have to be honest when I say this is absolutely the worst place they could put these buttons. I understand trying to be different from your competitors while still offering the additional ‘M’ keys. The problem is in order to use these buttons you must arrange your hands so you have a finger salad going on in order to use them. I’m not one who regularly uses these buttons so it’s not the worst to me but trying to use them in testing made me realize anyone who does regularly use them likely wont use these possibly disqualifying this controller as a viable option. 

This brings me to the charging dock. Though it does not affect the performance of the controller it is included and so I feel we need to discuss it. That probably came off like it was going to be a disappointment but the dock is very nice. The way the controller sits on it as well as its functionality remind me of the 8-BitDo Ultimate controllers that come with a dock. As a bonus you can also plug your USB dongle into the dock allowing it to act as an antenna of sorts. No more crawling behind or under your desk just to move the 2.4gHz dongle around. This is a big win in my book.

As far as the fit and finish of the controller go it has a very smooth clear finish. The C8 also has a removable faceplate though I am not aware of any other plates available for it at this time, it is a nice feature to have. After abxylute released the S9 they also released a handful of different face plates you could swap and I am hoping to see the same thing here.With the finish being smooth and glossy I am sure you can imagine that it is also a finger print magnet. Which it definitely likes to attract prints and smudges like other controllers with this finish. It is easy to clean up especially with that removable faceplate but just know it is something you might find yourself cleaning pretty often. 

Overall for the price I have found it to be a good value. It offers all the turbo and macro features you would expect from a controller like this along with all the RGB young gamers seem to be attracted to. I found the accuracy running wirelessly to be good in testing for all available systems. I think the biggest faults of the C8 and not necessarily in this order are the ‘M’ buttons location, the fact that it is a finger print magnet and the C8 getting a bit slippery with sweaty hands during intense gameplay. Everything from the joysticks to the face buttons works as good and in many cases better than competitor controllers in this price range.

I can find myself recommending this controller to anyone who doesn’t want to spend a ton of money but wants something that looks and works nicely. Just keep a cleaning rag around if you are OCD like me or the smudges might drive you crazy. 

If you are looking to pickup the abxylute C8 Controller checkout the links below:

*abxylute C8 Controller from Handheld DIY

*abxylute C8 Controller on Amazon

GameOn

CellPhish

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